Eve's Gift
by Tweyelite
Summary: Eve helps her mother and Gabrielle see what she has seen all along


Eve, Messenger of Eli, had been travelling with her mother and Gabrielle for almost a fortnight. She had gotten to know her mother and how much Xena must have loved her to do what she had, saving her from the wrath of the Olympian Gods. Eve saw the bond between her mother and Gabrielle, neither spoke of it other than to say they loved one another and that they were meant to be together as soul mates. The great love shone between them like a beacon and Eve began to wonder why two people so close rarely touched. The tension between them almost seemed comfortable like loosely stretched elastic. Eve's brow furrowed in thought. One morning she awoke, much like every other morning and watched as the sunlight broke through the clouds to land on the still slumbering forms of Xena and Gabrielle, and in that light, the messenger of Eli saw it all. As clear as day she saw that her mother and Gabrielle had an unbreakable bond but that each pulled away from one another slightly, out of fear. Fear that they would be overwhelmed in each other, fear that it would change their relationship. Eve lifted her face to the suns warmth and smiled angelically because she knew what to do. Eve got to her knees and prayed. "Eli God of love, see the bountiful love before you between my mother and Gabrielle. Please I pray you, help them see their love for what it truly is." Eve then stood walked to her mother and Gabrielle's sleeping place and gently placed her hand on their heads. A brilliant white light burst from between Eve's fingers and shot into the sky, but only for a moment and then it disappeared. It was done.  
  
Xena awoke in such warmth she hesitated to rise. Her eyes opened slightly to see that Gabrielle was draped over her like a blanket. 'No wonder she was so warm.' Xena thought to herself. If only she could wake up like this every day.  
  
Gabrielle opened her eyes then as well, subconsciously knowing Xena had awoken. She opened her eyes and immediately realized why she'd been so comfortable. She sprang up on her hands and knees but before she could roll over to her own space Xena's eyes caught hers in a trap, just as surely as a rabbit would be caught in one of Xena's snares for dinner later. Gabrielle wondered if she'd be for dinner later as well and then realized what she'd just been contemplating. "Sorry Xena." Gabrielle whispered.  
  
"Why? Don't you want to be for dinner?" Xena asked with a huge shit-eating grin on her face.  
  
"Excuse me?" Gabrielle squeaked.  
  
'She's so cute when she blushes.' Xena thinks to herself.  
  
"I'm cute when I blush?" Gabrielle looks at Xena quizzically.  
  
"Did I say that out loud?" Xena asks looking alarmed.  
  
"Did I..? Oh no." Gabrielle eyes opened alarmed.  
  
Eve who had been praying stopped a moment to look at her mother. "Good morning mother, Gabrielle." She said, addressing them both.  
  
"There's something strange going on here." Xena said aloud. Xena looked at her daughter shrewdly and asked, "Why are you looking so self satisfied hmm?"  
  
Gabrielle glanced up at Eve and then at Xena. "Well at the moment I don't care why our thoughts are being said aloud because I need a bath more than I need that answer, it doesn't seem harmful so lets talk about it afterwards." Gabrielle concluded as she grabbed her things and headed to the nearby lake. Xena wondered to herself at Gabrielle's attitude about the whole situation. Gabrielle was a few steps ahead of Xena on this one, as she smiled and wondered what else she'd be hearing from Xena today.  
  
As Gabrielle walked back to camp drying her short blond hair off with a towel she reminded herself to guard her thoughts carefully. Xena was packing up camp as she heard Gabrielle come up behind her. She looked away from what she was doing to see Gabrielle strolling towards her. The thought came unbidden into her mind. 'God she's gorgeous when she's wet.'  
  
"Thank you Xena." Gabrielle replied smiling mischievously.  
  
Xena's mouth opened and closed doing a very good impression of a fish. Eve was having a hard time not laughing at the predicament she'd put her mother in.  
  
"Mother I'm going to go to the Temple of Eli near here for a while." Eve said.  
  
"Why?" Xena said frowning.  
  
"I think I need to be alone for a little while, to pray." Eve said, of course what she really meant was that Xena and Gabrielle needed some time to be alone.  
  
"Ok we'll walk you there." Xena said.  
  
"Nonsense you're headed the other direction. Don't worry I'll be fine." Eve said using her most wheedling tone.  
  
"Alright." Xena said giving in. The only two people that could talk her into anything were Eve and Gabrielle.  
  
Eve departed with a hug to both women and a sly wink at Gabrielle.  
  
Gabrille almost laughed out loud when she saw Eve wink at her, she had a feeling all along she was behind this little foray into the truth.  
  
"Okay Gabrielle now we have to find out how to stop these thoughts from coming out of our mouths." Xena stated.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Xena's brow furrowed, "Because, well, we can't just wander around saying what we think all the time."  
  
"Well it doesn't happen all the time Xena, it only seems to happen when I think anything about you." Gabrielle grinned.  
  
"Yeah and I of you." Xena then remembered what she'd said before and a rosey blush spread over her face.  
  
Gabrielle watched and thought, 'And she thinks I'm cute when I blush, she's just beautiful, of course she always is but..' Gabrielle stopped short realizing she had just said all of that aloud and then said, "Oops."  
  
Xena couldn't believe what she was hearing for the most part the one time she'd heard Gabrielle call her beautiful she was all drugged out on henbane.  
  
"It wasn't the henbane that was talking Xena." Gabrielle said quietly.  
  
"Yes it was."  
  
"No I swear it wasn't, the henbane just allowed me to say what I was thinking without feeling scared."  
  
"Scared of me?" Xena asked forlorn. She never wanted Gabrielle to fear her, in fact the exact opposite.  
  
"No, not scared of you, jus of how you would react, I mean I know we're friends and all but.. hey, what do you mean the exact opposite?"  
  
"By the gods did I say that aloud too??" Xena said as she sighed exasperated.  
  
"Yes." 'What did she mean by that?' Gabrielle thought. 'Is she in love with me?'  
  
"Did you? Did you just ask me what I think you just asked me?" Xena said looking dumbfounded.  
  
"Tarterus!" Gabrielle swore. "Ok Xena you're right we need to figure out how to stop this thing, let's go find Eve,"  
  
Xena smirked, "Now who's not liking all the honesty eh?" Xena said glibly. "Ha Ha Warrior princess." Gabrielle said sarcastically. 'When she smiles like that my knees go weak.' "Don't worry I'll catch you." Xena said.  
  
"Catch me?"  
  
"Well yeah what kind of a friend would I be if my smile caused your knees to buckle and you fell?" Xena replied innocently. Gabrielle put her hands on her face and willed herself to think of anything but Xena.  
  
"Shame to hide something that pretty you know." Xena thought/said. Gabrielle peeked between her fingers.  
  
"Ok, enough of this, Xena I," Gabrielle took a deep breath. "I, not only do I love you, but I'm, I'm in love with you." 'Oh gods now I've done it' Gabrielle thought. 'She's sure to hate me now' "Gabrielle I could never hate you! Never ever think that!" Xena said vehemently. "I love you too, I love your strength, your compassion, your trust, your eyes, your mouth, your nose, your.. stories. Everything."  
  
The camp fell silent, except for the usual forest sounds. 'Maybe I said to much, maybe I misunderstood, please whatever God is listening don't let her leave me.' Xena pleaded in her mind. "I won't leave you Xena, I'll never leave you." Gabrielle smiled through the tears running down her cheeks. 'Kiss me, please.' Gabrielle pleaded in her mind. Xena let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as she stepped the few short lengths to reach Gabrielle. She swept her into her arms and gave her the kiss she'd so sweetly asked for. The spark that shot through Gabrielle's body as her lips touched that of Xena's made her want to burst from the inside out and she sighed softly. Hearing the sigh Xena became even more passionate with the kiss as she slipped her tongue into Gabrielle's waiting mouth and ran her tongue on the top of her mouth from back to front. Finally, the need for air prevailed and the women tore apart breathing audibly. A simultaneous thought entered both their heads.. 'Wow.'  
  
As the ability to process coherent thought returned to Xena she remembered what Gabrielle had said. "Why do we have to get Eve?" she asked.  
  
"Because this is all her fault." Gabrielle said in a breathy tone.  
  
"Then I'll have to thank her next time we see her." Xena smiled her cyan eyes glimmering.  
  
"What do you mean next time? Aren't we going to go find her now to get this solved?" Gabrielle asked confused.  
  
"It'll keep for a few days."  
  
"But Xena.." Gabrielle trailed off as she looked into Xena's eyes and realized what she had in mind.  
  
"Yeah it'll keep." 


End file.
